Tiger Woods celebrated his fiftieth birthday on Tuesday, making the 15-time main champion eligible to play on the PGA Tour Champions circuit as soon as he recovers from a latest well being setback.
Woods has not mentioned publicly whether or not he plans to play on the previous Senior PGA Tour, which permits golfers to make use of carts and makes use of a 54-hole format for many tournaments apart from 72-hole majors.
This previous season was the primary time Woods didn’t play in a single match on the PGA Tour. He was scheduled to compete within the Genesis Invitational, however withdrew, saying he was not able to compete as a result of dying of his mom, Kultida, on February 4.
Then, in March, Woods tore his left Achilles tendon whereas ramping up coaching and apply at his dwelling in Florida for the Masters. He underwent what’s believed to be his seventh decrease again surgical procedure on October 10 to interchange a disc in his decrease again that was inflicting ache and mobility points.
Throughout a press convention on the Hero World Problem within the Bahamas on Dec. 2, Woods mentioned he was simply beginning to putt and chip and was removed from having a full swing.
“When you get a really feel for the apply, the explosion, the play, the restoration course of, you possibly can consider the place to play and the way a lot to play,” Woods mentioned. “I am removed from that half, that type of determination, that type of dedication degree.”
If it weren’t for Woods’ myriad accidents, he in all probability would nonetheless have loads of aggressive golf left in him after greater than half a century. Phil Mickelson received the 2021 PGA Championship on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, making him the oldest main championship winner at age 50.
Accidents have been Woods’ greatest impediment in recent times. He has performed in simply 11 PGA Tour tournaments over the previous 5 seasons since sustaining critical accidents in a single-car accident exterior Los Angeles in February 2021. Woods suffered a number of “open fractures” in his decrease proper leg, and emergency surgical procedure required a rod to be inserted into his tibia and screws and pins to be inserted in his foot and ankle. He later instructed reporters that surgeons virtually needed to amputate his proper leg.
After withdrawing from the 2023 Masters earlier than Sunday’s restart because of climate delays, Woods mentioned he had worsened plantar fasciitis in his foot. He underwent surgical procedure 10 days later to handle post-traumatic arthritis in his proper ankle, adopted by lumbar microdecompression surgical procedure in September 2024 for nerve impingement in his decrease again.
Woods final performed a PGA Tour occasion in July 2024, when he missed the reduce on the British Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Membership in Scotland. He has not performed 4 rounds in an official match since ending sixtieth on the 2024 Masters.
The 82-time PGA Tour winner final completed within the high 20 at a serious on the 2019 Masters, the place he received and earned his fifth inexperienced jacket.
“I need to get again to only taking part in golf once more,” Woods mentioned within the Bahamas earlier this month. “I have not performed golf in a very long time. It has been a tricky 12 months. Lots has occurred on and off the golf course and it has been robust. So my ardour is simply to play. I have not accomplished that in a very long time.”
Despite the fact that Woods is recovering from latest setbacks, his buddies on the PGA Tour are teasing him about reaching 50.
“I knew he was previous, however I did not suppose he was that previous,” Gary Woodland mentioned at this month’s PNC Championship, which Woods missed. “Tiger’s affect on the world of golf goes with out saying. I want he was right here to do what he did along with his basis off the course. Hopefully he is recovered to the purpose the place he can come again as a result of all of us miss him a lot. Every little thing is healthier when he is gone.”
South Africa’s Trevor Immelman, the 2008 Masters champion, joked that he reminds his youngsters to ship Woods a Christmas card yearly in recognition of Woods’ affect on golf.
“If you are going to ship a Christmas card yearly, you higher ship it to Tiger, as a result of with out him we might be in a distinct scenario,” Immelman mentioned.
On the Hero World Problem, Woods joked that when he turns 50, he’ll in all probability play 25 video games on each excursions.
“That ought to cowl a lot of the 12 months, proper?” Woods mentioned. “No, I am simply wanting ahead to getting again taking part in once more. Let me do this after which we’ll determine what the schedule is.”
The PGA Tour Champions schedule begins January 22-24 on the Mitsubishi Electrical Championship in Hawaii. The primary main, the Senior PGA Championship, will probably be held one week after the Masters, April 16-19, at Concession Golf Membership in Bradenton, Florida.
Woods is the one golfer to win the U.S. Junior Beginner, U.S. Beginner and U.S. Open, so he could also be motivated to play within the U.S. Senior Open, which will probably be held July 2-5 at Scioto Nation Membership in Columbus, Ohio.
“I feel what we’ve got to do is doubtlessly problem him,” Jim Furyk mentioned at this month’s Skechers World Champions Cup. “I do not suppose he can final this three-round match right here. He is in all probability going to get offended and play loads.”
Steve Flesch, a four-time winner on the senior circuit, prompt Woods must schedule the PGA Tour Champions upfront to offer match organizers sufficient time to organize.
“On our tour, if he decides to play right here, it is a huge problem for the match director, however he is ready till the Friday earlier than the occasion,” Flesch mentioned. “That is a giant distinction in improvement. Tiger Woods has by no means been in any of these markets, so lots of people are going to come back see him. We hope he performs in a type of markets.”
